Stakeholder engagement used to be judged on whether it happened. It is now assessed on whether it informs decision making.

Regulators are asking for evidence, investors are asking for value, participants are asking for outcomes, and boards are asking how engagement is advancing the business.

AccountAbility is preparing practitioners for this new reality with a new Certified Stakeholder Engagement Practitioner (CSEP) qualification backed by its forthcoming AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard (AA1000SES v3).
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"Sustainability priorities are bound to shift with reporting cycles, political headwinds, and technological advancements – but stakeholder engagement is the one discipline that consistently drives sustainable business value," said Daniel Metzger, Director of Advisory Services. "We are enabling practitioners to build trusted stakeholder relationships, prepare for new and emerging reporting requirements, and turn feedback into decisions that improve business performance. CSEP closes the gap between good intent and true accountability."
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A New Certification Fit for Purpose

In parallel to the forthcoming AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard (AA1000SES v3), AccountAbility has launched a new Certified Stakeholder Engagement Practitioner (CSEP) Training Program. The CSEP equips practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate this new landscape and gives organizations a credible, evidence-based way to design and run engagements that inform decisions.
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Stakeholder priorities are shifting faster than ever, bringing new pressures to organizations:

• Engagement can no longer be a performative exercise designed as a check-box activity. It now must be tangibly impactful, visibly integrated into decision-making, and deliberately aligned with corporate objectives.
• Digital tools and technologies are changing what stakeholder engagement looks like. Organizations now engage stakeholders at scale, in real time, and with more visibility than ever before. They must meet this new reality by using tools like AI, digital consultation platforms, and relationship management software in their engagement strategies.
• Shifting regulatory environments demand engagement processes that can be evidenced, not just described. Disclosure mandates like those under CSRD/ESRS and IFRS S1 and S2 expect organizations to show which stakeholders were involved, how their input shaped material topics, and where input was used to inform decision-making. In practice, this means documented methods, retained records, and a traceable line from stakeholder input to clear response.

"AccountAbility's CSEP Training is built on the foundations of the AA1000 Series, with a 'deep dive' into the forthcoming AA1000SES v3," noted Udaya Nanayakkara, Acting Head of Standards. "In a landscape where stakeholder engagement is increasingly important and rapidly evolving, this qualification provides practitioners with the knowledge and skills to design and implement structured, practical, and credible engagement strategies that generate meaningful impact."
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The new CSEP is now open to practitioners worldwide. Participants will learn how to reduce engagement risk, withstand and respond to external scrutiny, improve inclusive decision-making and value-creation, and consistently connect stakeholder engagement to business priorities.
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"Effective stakeholder engagement is not an end in itself; it is a management discipline that improves decision-making and supports long-term value creation. AA1000SES helps organizations turn stakeholder perspectives into better business outcomes while strengthening the culture that sustains them. The CSEP training provided a practical and strategic approach to stakeholder engagement."
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‍Ms. Madeleine Smith, Senior Director of ESG, Warner Music Group
CSEP Pilot Participant – July 2026

The Pilot

In July 2026, AccountAbility conducted a pilot of the CSEP training with 42 individuals from leading organizations, including European Football Clubs, Carrier, Shangri-La Group, Four Seasons, FIFA, B-Lab, National Grid, Warner Music Group, Bureau Veritas, WBCSD, and more, who have now become CSEP qualified. Designed, led, and facilitated by AccountAbility, the pilot featured guidance on stakeholder engagement, case studies, interactive workshops, and breakout discussions, all aimed at helping practitioners convert theoretical knowledge of the AA1000SES v3 into "real-world" application.
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Who is CSEP for?

The CSEP is a recognized qualification in stakeholder engagement for practitioners in a wide range of roles across all industries and geographies. It is built to address the emerging demands of stakeholder engagement today, which have informed the design of the forthcoming AA1000SES v3:

• Stakeholder engagement must be relevant to today's modern, digital, and AI-integrated engagement ecosystem
• Risk mitigation and "impact-first" engagement design can drive measurable value for the organization and its stakeholders
• A shift from consultation to "co-creation" with stakeholders, demonstrating a collaborative approach to strategy design, decision making, and problem solving
• Inclusivity, Materiality, Responsiveness, and Impact are the guiding principles for stakeholder engagement

"The program provided a practical and structured approach to stakeholder engagement, helping me better understand how to apply the AA1000SES in real-world sustainability contexts. I particularly valued the emphasis on inclusivity, materiality, and assurance, which strengthened my ability to design more credible and effective stakeholder engagement processes."
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Dr. Dephney Ramaphosa, Global Sustainability Senior Manager, Dentons
CSEP Pilot Participant – July 2026

The training is designed for executives, managers, practitioners, and teams that engage with internal and/or external stakeholders. This includes those working across strategy and transformation, governance, risk and compliance, HR, corporate affairs, sustainability, and more. It is delivered across 3 modules, giving practitioners a recognized qualification that demonstrates their capabilities in applying the AA1000SES v3 to reduce risk, build resilience, and deliver impact through stakeholder engagement:

• Module A: The Foundations of the AA1000 Series & Stakeholder Engagement
• Module B: The AA1000SES v3 in Practice (Phases 1, 2 & 3)
• Module C: The AA1000SES v3 in Practice (Phases 4 & 5), Engagement Risk, & Organizational Readiness

CSEP Training is Designed to Build Skills that are Useful and Lasting

Expert-led instruction, applied practically in a team setting

The CSEP is delivered live by AccountAbility experts who set the conceptual foundation before participants put it into practice. Facilitated breakout discussions then place practitioners in small, cross-industry teams to apply the AA1000SES v3 to live engagement challenges.

The combination gives participants first-hand expert insights as well as the confidence to act on them. They leave able to strengthen their organization's engagement approach and better prepared to withstand changing regulatory mandates and external scrutiny.

"The training was extremely insightful, practical, and well-structured. The facilitator effectively combined theory with real-world examples, making complex concepts easy to understand and apply. I particularly appreciated the interactive discussions and case studies, which enhanced my learning experience. I would highly recommend this training to professionals seeking to strengthen their knowledge and practical skills."
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‍Mr. Rupam Baruah, Business Head, Sustainability Services, Bureau Veritas
CSEP Pilot Participant – July 2026

Real and fictional case studies, plus the frameworks practitioners actually use on the job

The central task of stakeholder engagement today is translating stakeholder insight into better decisions and stronger performance – a shift from earlier practice, in which feedback was heard but rarely traceable to the decisions that followed. The CSEP is built around enabling that shift.

Case studies, both real and illustrative, show what credible engagement looks like in practice, and participants are walked step-by-step through AccountAbility's proprietary Stakeholder Prioritization Framework, which is set to be one of the leading tools in the market for prioritizing stakeholders and their material concerns. The emphasis throughout is applicability: setting a clear direction, following good practice, and driving value consistently in a fast-changing environment.

"In today's interconnected world, businesses play a critical role in society, and their long-term success depends on building trust and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders. The AccountAbility CSEP training provides valuable insights into why effective stakeholder engagement is essential, not only for securing and sustaining a company's license to operate, but also for creating shared value for both the organization and its stakeholders. I would highly recommend this training to professionals looking to deepen their stakeholder engagement skills and create more positive impact through their work."

Ms. Aswathi Raj, Associate, Corporate Performance & Accountability, WBCSD
CSEP Pilot Participant – July 2026

Materials and assessments that make the learning last

Learning continues beyond the live sessions. Pre-recorded videos, additional reading, and take-home materials give participants a reference library they can return to after the training ends.

Self-paced quizzes test participants' ability to apply what they have learned, so the qualification reflects demonstrated capability beyond just attendance. Across all three modules, the CSEP is designed to leave practitioners with a working command of the AA1000SES v3 – both in theory and in practice.
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What's Next?

Launch of the AA1000SES v3: The revised AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard, planned for publication in November 2026, focuses on helping organizations move beyond checkbox engagement towards meaningful and measurable impact and co-creation.
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CSEP Roll Out: Now launching alongside the forthcoming AA1000SES v3, the CSEP provides practitioners with a recognized qualification to demonstrate their ability to meet the requirements of the AA1000SES v3 and deliver valuable stakeholder engagement for their organizations.
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AccountAbility will be running publicly available CSEP training courses over the coming year, including both general and industry-specific sessions.
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Organizations seeking to train their teams can also engage AccountAbility to provide a CSEP Training that is customized to their organization – including real strategies and governance structures that you have in place, real industry case studies and regulations, the operating environment specific to your organization and stakeholder ecosystem, and attendee capabilities.

Next Public CSEP Training Session

The next public training will be held on 29th September – 1st October, 2026 from 9am – 11.30am EDT / 2pm – 4.30pm BST. It will be online, live, instructor-led and focused on the Utilities Industry.

Registration is now open: https://www.accountability.org/csep-registration
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All CSEP Training conducted prior to the official release of the AA1000SES v3 will be based on the working draft of the Standard. Any changes to the Standard subsequent to Training participation will be communicated to CSEP certified practitioners along with any additional compliance requirements.
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For more information on the CSEP training for you or your organization, more information can be found on our website at accountability.org/advisory/stakeholder-engagement-certification or you can reach out to standards@accountability.org.